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Report - Sunnybank Mills, Leeds - December 2012

Regular User

Ever since moving to the area I’d had a hankering to have a look around this enormous ex-worsted mill just up the road. There have been numerous open days including one as part of the English Heritage weekend back in early September but alas I was away on holiday...

Anyhow, fast forward three months and after attending a public consultation showcasing the vision for the conversion of the entire complex, I spoke with one of the directors of the estate that owns the mill and he kindly agreed to let me and a non member pal have free reign around the disused parts of the mill.

It’s a large complex, which closed as a fabric business in 2006. It has undergone semi conversion, where disused parts are landlocked by existing active workshops and businesses that reside within these converted parts of the mill buildings. There’s a lot of big empty bits which are scheduled for demolition once EWH’s masterplan gets off the ground. See plans and current conversions here: http://www.sunnybankmills.co.uk/

The mill owners have put together a “working archive” of the historic leftovers of the mill, including a physical intellectual property record of every single fabric design owned by the company which are laid out in several huge racking units and this is where we'll start... I'll apologise now for pic heaviness.

Next through working studios and a bespoke paintshop to the "buildinglocked" part of the mill which housed the main spinning and dyeing machines / processes. Decay has set in here, and although these buildings are not earmarked for conservation, it's a shame.